Poland plans new gambling laws

Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin announced on December 12 that his government is hammering out new legislation to liberalise sports betting and online poker. Based on the latest draft, slot machines would be nationalised, operating until national lottery laws.

Gowin, who is also the Science and Higher Education Minister, told Polish Radio that “Poland suffered enormous, multibillion losses” as a result of a bill introduced by the previous Polish government.

According to Radio Poland online, the minister was referring to the Gambling Act, introduced in 2009 that banned gambling outside casinos and online.

“That is why a few months ago we decided to change the law so that money flowed back into the budget,” Gowin said, adding that the European Commission has given Poland the green light to move ahead with the new gambling bill.

“Over the next several months gambling will remain in [a shady area of the economy], and Poles will continue to lose PLN 100-300 million a month,” Gowin said.